GB2507084A

GB2507084A - A Garment

Info

Publication number: GB2507084A
Application number: GB1218740.7A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Robin Goodwin
Original assignee: Splash About International Ltd
Current assignee: Splash About International Ltd
Priority date: 2012-10-18
Filing date: 2012-10-18
Publication date: 2014-04-23
Also published as: GB201218740D0

Abstract

A swim nappy 103 intended in use to cover a wearer's body between the waist and thighs comprising a body made from water impermeable material such as close celled neoprene and lined with a polyester material. The garment is brief shaped and has waist 111 and leg bands 113, 115 forming a liquid tight seal with the wearer. The bands may comprise of lined neoprene sections 111a, 113a, 115a and unlined neoprene 111b, 113b, 115b sections where one section may be folded over the other section at seam 117, 119, 121 to enable an improved seal between the skin and unlined section.

Description

A Garment

Technical Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a garment and particularly, but not exclusively, to a swim nappy.

Background to the Invention

Swim nappies are commonly used on very young children learning to swim.

They typically comprise a leak proof fabric and usually have elasticated waist and leg cuffs in order to obtain a tight fit between the wearer and the garment openings and contain any solid. bodily discharge that a wearer of the garment may uncontrollably produce.

One known swim nappy comprises a brief shaped garment made predominantly from a leak proof neoprene material. The garment is edged at the waist and cuffs with ribbed bands of lycra and nylon material to minimise the escape of any waste matter. The garment is designed to be used as a standalone swim nappy or in combination with an 1 5 inner liner.

A problem with existing swim nappies is that, whilst the lycra and nylon bands help to reduce waste leakage, they rn-c not effective in containing liquid matter. Tt is therefore desirable to produce an improved swim nappy that reduces the risk of leakage from the waist and leg cuff regions of the garment further still.

Summary of the Invention

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a garment intended in use to cover a wearer's body between the waist and thighs comprising a body made from water impermeable material, tile body comprising an opening for the wearer's waist and two other openings, one for each leg of the wearer, the garment further comprising a separate band of water impermeable material arranged at each opening of the garment to form a substantially liquid tight seal with the wearer.

Advantageously, the water impermeable bands help to prevent any leakage of undesirable waste material from within the garment and into a swimming pool in which a wearer may be present. They also help to prevent water leaking into the nappy, be it salt water, chlorinated water or other treated water, which can create more mess and irritation to the wearer.

Each band may comprise a closed loop of material, The garment may be brief shaped.

The water impermeable material of the body may have elastic properties. The water impermeable material may comprise a film of material. The water impermeable material of the body or the bands may be synthetic rubber. The synthetic rubber may comprise closed cell foamed neoprene material. The synthetic rubber may comprf se latex material.

At least part of the bands and/or body may be lined on one or both sides with a material that is lower friction and/or sofl.er than the water impermeable material. The * lower friction and/or softer material may comprise polyester. The lower friction and/or softer material may comprise nylon. The material may be a textile material. The malerial may he stretehy or elastic.

The bands may be resilient, The bands may comprise two sections. The two sections may be attached together to form a band of a given width. The sections may comprise water impermeable material. The water impermeable material tnay be closed cell neoprene material, latex or other impermeable material capable of creating a water tight seal hetween the user and the garment. One of the sections may he lined with a material that is lower friction and/or softer than the water impermeable material and the other section may be unlined. The lined section may be affanged between the body and the unlined section.

One section may be folded relative to the other section until it lies adjacent the other section. The two sections may be attached together along a seam and the seam may be shaped to encourage one section to fold preferentially in one direction relative to the other section.

Detailed Description of the Jnvention

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood embodiments thereof will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: 1 5 Figure 1 shows a garment according to the invention; Figure 2 shows an alternative garment according to the invention; Figure 3 shows an enlarged view of a section of the garment shown in Figure 2 when in an engaged condition; and Figure 4 shows an enlarged view of a section of the garment shown in Figure 2 when in a disengaged condition.

With reference to the drawings, there is shown a. brief shaped garment 1 intended for use as a nappy or diaper for young children learning to swim. The garment I comprises a.main body section 3 made from closed cell loamed neoprene and is lined on both sides with a soft polyester textile shell so that the body 3 of the garment 1 feels comfortable against the wearer's skin. The body 3 has three openings, one opening S for the wearer's waist and two narrower openings 7. 9 for the wearer's legs. Elasticated ribbed bands 11, 13, 15 which each forn a closed loop made from closed cell famed neoprene material are attached to each openingS, 7, 9 of the body 3 and are intended, in use, to form a substantially water tight sea.1 between the wearer and the garment 1. The ribbed bands 11, 13, 15 are lined on both sides with a soft polyester textile material, again, so that they are comfortable against the user's skin.

The cross sectional area of the openings 5, 7, 9 formed by the bands 11, 13, 15 and body 3 are chosen to be slightly less than the cross sectional area of the waist and upper thigh regions of an appropriately aged wearer so that, when the garment is worn the bands Ii, 13, 15 arc stretched fairly tight against the skin to obtain a. substantially waterproof seal.

In an alternative embodiment, shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4 is a similarly shaped brief comprising a body 103 which is substantially the same as that of the first embodiment. In this embodiment the waistband 111 and leg hands 113. 11 5 comprise two sections. One section lila, 1 13a, lisa is attached to the openings 105, 107, 109 of the body 103 and comprises a closed looped band of closed cell neoprene material lined on both sides with polyester textile. The other section 111 b, 11 3b, 11 Sb also comprises a closed loop of closed cell neoprene material and is sewn to the free end of the corresponding first section lila, 113a, 115a to form a seam 117, 119, 121. The two sections are sewn together so as to form a seam 117 that is flat on the inner side of the bands 111, 113, 115 and raised on the external side of the bands 111, 113, 115. This

I

ensures that tile seam 117, 119, 121 is comfortable against the wearer's skin in use. It also makes the second section 11 Ib, 1 13b, I 15b easier to turn back over the outside of the first section lila, 11 3a, liSa for reasons to be described below.

The second section ii tb, 11 3b, 11 Sb differs from the first section 1111 a, II 3a, liSa in that it is not lined with polyester textile. This is because the naked neoprene material forms a helter seal between the wearer and the garment 101.

In use, a wearer is dressed with the garment 101 by passing both legs through the opening 105 at the waist and then passing one leg through a respective leg opening 107, 109. The dressing procedure is made easier by turning the second section 11 Ib, 1 13b, ll5bofeachbandlll,113,ll5backoverthefirstsectionllla, 113a,ll5asothatonly the polyester lined neoprene material conies into contact with the wearer's skin. Since the lining gives rise to lower friction between the wearer and the material than the naked neoprene, the bands 111. 113, 115 pass more easily over the skin. The garment 101 is then drawn up along the legs up to the wearer's waist so as to cover parts of the wearer's body froni which waste material may be excreted. When the garment 101 is in place, the second section 11 ib, 1 13b, I 15b of each band 111, 113, 115 is turned back up from the first scction lila, Ii3a. liSa to sit against the wearer's skin. As discussed, the naked neoprene of the second section forms a better seal between the garment and the wearer than the lined neoprene.

When the wearer ha.s finished a swimming session, the garment 101 may be removed by folding the second section ii lb, I 13b, I 15b of each band back down over the first section lila, 1 13a, 11 Sa to disengage the seal and allow the garment 101 to slip off the wearer.

The gai-nient 1, 101 may be used as a standalone swim nippy or in combination with a nappy imer or other swim nappy.

The above embodiment embodiments arc described by way of example only.

Many variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A garment intended in use to cover a wearer's body between the waist and thighs comprising a body made from water impermeable material, the body comprising an opening for the wearer's waist and two other openings, one for each leg of the wearer, the garment further comprising a separate band of water impermeable material arranged at each opening of the garment to form a substantially liquid tight seal with thc wearer.
2. A garment as claimed in claim 1, wherein, each band comprises a closed ioop of material.
3. A garment as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein thc garment is brief shaped.
4. A garment as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the water impermeable material of the body or the bands is synthetic rubber.
5. A garment as claimed in claim 4, wherein the synthetic rubber is a closed cell fomned neoprene material.
6. A garment as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein at least part of the bands and/or body are lined on one or both sides with a material that is smoother than closed cell neoprene material.
7. A garment as claimed in claim 6, wherein the smoother material is polyeste.r
8. A garment as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the bands comprise two sections.
9. A garment as claimed in claim 8, wherein the Iwo sections are attached together to form a band of a given width.
10. A ganitent as claimed in claim S or claim 9, wherein the sections comprise closed cell foamed neoprene material.
11. A garment as claimed in any one of claims 9, 10 or II wherein one of the sections is lined wilh a material that is smoother than closed cell neoprene material and the other section is unlined.
12. A garment as claimed in claim 11, wherein the lined section is arranged between the body and the unlined section.
13. A garment as claimed in any one of claims 7 to 12, wherein one section may be folded relative to the other section until it lies adjacent the other section.
14. A garment as claimed in claim 13, wherein the two sections are attached together along a seam and the seam is shaped to encourage one section to fold preferentially in one direction relative to the other section.
15. A garment as substantially hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.